I think the idea is that there would be clues, particularly talented engineers not doing public work. Of course, I don’t know who’s carefully tracking that for Chinese scientists.
Scientists did guess the Manhattan project existed because several top physicists had ceased publishing. I don’t know if that made it to the relevant governments. That would be vastly easier to do with the internet—if anyone is bothering.
Before the internet?
I think the idea is that there would be clues, particularly talented engineers not doing public work. Of course, I don’t know who’s carefully tracking that for Chinese scientists.
Scientists did guess the Manhattan project existed because several top physicists had ceased publishing. I don’t know if that made it to the relevant governments. That would be vastly easier to do with the internet—if anyone is bothering.